


Liability

by meinterrupted



Category: Firefly
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: s01e14 Objects in Space, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-29
Updated: 2006-06-29
Packaged: 2017-10-06 00:42:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meinterrupted/pseuds/meinterrupted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'She knew what she would do, what buttons to push.  It was risky at best, and there was no room for error.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Liability

**Author's Note:**

> Set during 'Objects in Space,' and, thus, contains spoilers for that episode. This was supposed to be pure smut, but well, yeah. elsibet34 wanted a fic about why Jubal Early thought River might be shacking up with one of the crew, and this came out. I'm not one of the shippers who's convinced River and Jayne are carrying on a secret relationship throughout the series and movie, so this **isn't** that. It's really not that smutty either. (Hey, I just do what the muse tells me. You think I control her?) Many thanks to cornfields for the beta.

Serenity was no buffer to the thoughts any more. She could hear all of them. She knew what they thought of her, that they were afraid. Kaylee was afraid, Wash was afraid. Even Jayne was afraid, though he wouldn't admit it even to himself. Called it something else: guilt, anger, selfishness.

But she wasn't concerned with them right now. The Other was out there, the one who wanted to box her up and ship her off, send her back to be poked and prodded. She could hear his thoughts loudest of all, drowning out Kaylee's fear, Simon's concern, and Mal's indecision. His anger and greed pressed against her, coating her skin in a thick sludge of _wrong_. He needed to be gone, to be out, or her tenuous grip on reality would snap. She couldn't face sliding back into that morass she'd worked so hard to climb out of.

A plan slowly trickled through her brain, dripping through the lattice of her sanity. She knew what she would do, what buttons to push. It was risky at best, and there was no room for error.

She could feel him just outside, hovering. All his instruments were tuned to Serenity's, shadowing their every move. He watched her, stalked his prey, and she counted on that.

Her bare feet made no sound on the metal grating as she danced through the ship. She trailed her hand against the wall, fingers tracing every dip and divot in Serenity's hull, being sure she passed by as many windows as possible, making sure he saw her. There was only one possible fallacy in her plan, and it lay just a few feet away.

It didn't take but a moment to override the lock to his bunk, the hatch opening with only a faint rush of air. Soundlessly, she descended the ladder, her heart beating a little too fast. She knew what she had to do, but the execution was a bit more complicated.

She hit the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. Using her mind and her memory, she navigated the room, heading for the bed. The man lying there was still deeply asleep, his mind thousands of miles from the ship. She paused just inches from the bunk, her arms outstretched. Her small hands hovered over his chest, close but not in contact. She dared not touch him, for fear he'd wake, but her mind pressed against his, pressed into his.

In his dream, Jayne was in a saloon on Beylix. His favorite whore was sitting on his lap, her bleach-blonde hair falling in perfect ringlets down her back. She nuzzled his neck as he played his last card, collecting the entire pot. "How 'bout we go spend that, baby?"

Suddenly, they were in a room, and the whore was naked under him. As is the way of dreams, there was no sense of movement, nor a sense of disconnect. Jayne hovered above her, sweat glistening in the lamplight. He slowly lowered his body onto hers, pressing her into the feather mattress before turning his attention to her breasts.

Hands still hovering over Jayne's prone form, River slipped further into his consciousness, her eyelids fluttering with the strain. He looked a little surprised when he looked up from nuzzling the whore's chest to find dark hair spread haphazardly against the white sheets. "Your brother knew you were here, he'd have my balls in a jar."

She shook her head and slid her hands up his arms. "Brother is not here. Shouldn't worry so much."

"Well then. I ain't holdin' back on you. 'S my dream." With those words, he licked a trail up her neck, accelerating her heartbeat. His stubble rubbed against her sensitive skin, causing her to shiver. "Don't think this changes nothing, moonbrain. Just 'cause I dreamed about sexing you don't mean I like you."

His hand trailed down her stomach as his tongue traced a path to her nipples. She moaned as he licked each one in turn. "Wouldn't expect it to," she whispered, her hands clenching around his biceps.

She writhed under his weight as his fingers slid lower, tangling in the dark curls between her thighs. She groaned, and he laughed. "You like that, girl?" She breathed an affirmative, and he pressed one finger into her. "Still liking it?"

The sensation was new, a little uncomfortable but not altogether unpleasant. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, unable to answer right away. He chuckled, a low sound that reminded her of a wild animal's growl. She felt the reverberations in her chest, even as his finger found a different target.

She arched against him as he rubbed her clitoris. Jayne's continued massage reduced her mind to so many useless cells, cells that lost sight of her goal, her plan. She tried to hold onto reality, to ignore the sensations, but found she couldn't. Her eyes fluttered open and shut as her throat made sounds she couldn't understand. The world contracted and expanded, becoming as small as a single molecule and as large as the universe, until it exploded in the fire of a supernova. She screamed, a high keening torn from her gut, muscles clenching as her skin throbbed. A million points of light passed through her body, the universe inside her cracking the skin as it fought its way out.

Jayne's chuckle brought her back to her senses. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus. His fingers had distracted her from the plan, but she couldn't lose sight. Not when she was this close. It was too dangerous. She could feel him hard against her thigh, and she reached for it. "You ready for that?"

She closed her eyes and inhaled. A small smile ghosted her face. "It's your dream."

She could feel his grin against her neck. He bit lightly at the soft skin before positioning himself between her thighs. Using his hand to guide him, Jayne slid into her, a slow but constant motion. Gasping, she realized she felt no pain, only a mild stretching sensation. It felt vaguely like burning, as if the friction between them could set her ablaze.

He began slowly thrusting, using his arms to hold the majority of his weight. Her fingers slid over his skin, brushing at the sweat that poured from his body. So much liquid should quench the fire, she mused distractedly, but only seemed to create more heat.

Grunting, he began thrusting harder, causing River to moan in time. She heard someone repeating 'please,' and was surprised to realize it was her voice. Her nails scratched along his back, and the pain spurred him on to harder thrusts. "Gorram, girl, just…." She could feel his muscles tensing above her, stomach, arms, legs. His entire body clenched before releasing it all with a wrenching groan.

He collapsed on top of her, his body boneless like so much dead weight. She brushed the sweat off his forehead, fingers dancing lightly over his skin. She sunk lower into the soft feather mattress, eyes heavy. "You'll sleep now," she whispered.

He muttered something and rolled over, freeing her from his weight. River propped herself up on one elbow and reached for him. When she touched him, he opened his eyes and turned toward her. "Girl?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

"You are a contradiction. Girl's name, man parts. Makes no sense."

He smirked lazily. "Neither do you." He paused. "You ain't in my head, are you? If I was just dreaming you, wouldn't you be sane?"

She blinked and scrambled to come up with an answer. "Have never met me sane. There is no reference point." She smiled again.

He shrugged and flopped onto his back. "Reckon you're right. Now get the hell outta my gorram dream so I can get to sleep. Can't sleep with a woman."

Gasping, she found herself suddenly on the floor of Jayne's bunk, cold and sweaty, her mind reeling. She tried to stand, but her knees were unable to support her weight. She pulled herself up using the edge of his bed, careful not to touch him. He slept more soundly than he had in months--sounder, perhaps, than he had since she came on board.

Pressing herself against the wall, she breathed deeply, trying to center herself. She reached out, and she could still hear the Other outside, like a lion ready to pounce. She could hear the dreams of the crew, muted through layers of sleep. She could hear nothing from Jayne, save soft snoring. She nodded to herself before shakily moving to the ladder.

Halfway up, she looked back. He still lay in the same position, motionless. "Must listen to the Captain. No touching guns; no room for rash decisions," she murmured. He shifted, still snoring. "Must eliminate all liabilities."

She climbed out and shut the hatch, reengaging the locks with a few deft movements. The Other was watching, waiting, poised to strike, and she was ready.

Let him come.


End file.
